Presser-foot-operating device for sewing-machines.



E. A. DRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1912.

Patented July 30, 1912.

PRESSER FOOT OPERATING DEVICE EOE SEWING MACHINES.

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FREDERICK A. BRAKE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, yASSIG1\1'O1R, OF ONE-HALF TOLEWIS PI. WELLS, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

PRESSER-FOOT-OPERATING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented July 30, 191,2.

Application filed February 1'2, 1912. Serial No. 677,081.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERICK A. BRAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful -Improvements in Presser-Foot- OperatingDevices for Sewing-Machines; and l do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tofigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

rlhis invention relates to a mechanism for operating the presser-foot ofa sewing-machine so that the hands that are employed in guiding thematerial through the machine do not have to be taken from the cloth ormaterial that is being sewed to operate the presser-foot.

As now operated as a rule the presser-foot is manipulated by means of asmall lever on the frame, and this operation of t-he presserfootnecessitates the taking of one of the hands from the material that isbeing sewed. This is sometimes inconvenient and causes a loss of timeand a readjustment of the material when the sewing is resumed. Toovercome this l have provided a knee-plate which is pressed by theknee,the knee-plate being connected by a suitable mechanism to thepresser-foot so that when the knee presses the knee-plate thepresser-foot is raised, and when the pressure on the kneeplate isreleased the presser-foot falls, being usually forced down by a springwhich is customary in sewing-machines. The kneeplate can be so disposedso that it acts as a guard, particularly in the case of a foot power'machine, the knee-plate being preferably placed on the side of theiy-wheel and giving additional protection against said rotatingfly-wheel.

The invention further consists-of a connection between the presser-footrod and the knee-plate in the shape of a universal joint so that thedevice can be used on machines that are fitted to cases that have a dropor folding top so that any folding or turning of the machine in its caseis provided for in the connection.

The mechanism is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a front view of the presserfoot operating mechanism showinga sewing-machine frame and part of its case in rdot-ted outline, andFig. 2 is anend view of the presser-foot operating mechanism shown inFig. 1.

The device is used on any form of sewingmachine having a frame 10, whichframe is mounted on a case 11. The machine is provided with apresser-foot 12 which is mounted on a suitable presser-foot rod 13 whichcan be forced downward by any suitable mechanism such as the spring 14which abuts on -the frame and also on the collar 15 on the presser-footrod. The presser-foot rod is provided with a nose 16 which is engaged bythe end 17 of a lever 18, which lever is pivo-ted as at 19 to themachine frame at any suitable point. The lever 18 is formed according tothe shape of the machine frame, being made of a shape best adapted tofit the frame without being in the way, and being formed tosubstantially conform to the formation of the frame. rlhe lever can beplaced on the out-side of the frame or it can be placed within theframe, according to which position is most convenient for itsinstallation. 1he end of the lever 18 opposite the end 17 is formed intoan eye 19, the lever 18 extending with it-s eye down through the case11, passing through a suitable slot.

On the case 11 is arranged a bracket 20 having a bearing-plate 21 and apivotal pin 22. On the pivotal pin 22 is arranged an arm 23 which swingson the pin 22, the arm terminating in a hook 24, the hook having asuitable curve and fitting in the eye 19. The end of the arm 23 oppositethe hook 24 is provided with a knee-plate 25 of suitable conformation,being preferably a substantially broad plate so that the operator canengage it with his or her knee without paying particular attention toits location. lt will be seen that when the kneeplate is pressed the arm23 is swung and its hook 2l engages the eye 19 to swing the lever 18 sothat the nose 16 is lifted and with it the presser-foot, and when theknee-plate is released the presser-foot falls, and the connectingmechanism between the kneeplate and the presser-foot is operated to thecase of machines where the machine frame is dropped or permitted toswing within lthe case, and whether it is swung downward to one side orswung downward to the front or to the rear, the universal connectionpermits this swinging,4 the eye swinging on the hook both sidewise andfore and aft. Ofcourse it will be understood that in the different typesof machine the mechanism will be constructed so as to bring the jointsubstantially in line with the pivotal connection on which the frameswings when it is dropped.

This device saves time and labor, provides I for a more steady feedingof the material by l the hands of the operator, and leaves both hands atall times free for the manipulation of the material.

Having thus described my invention, whatA knee-plate swinging on themachine, an eye in the end of the lever, and an arm extendjing from theknee-plate, a curved hook on the arm and extending into the eye wherebythe connection so formed between the hook and the eye permits the frameto be droppedl either sidewise or forward.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 9th day of February, 1912.

FREDERICK A. DRAKE. Witnesses:

WM. H. CAMFIELD, Louis H. WILLs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

